Film-developing machine.



No. 763,357. PATENTED JUNE 28, 1904.

J. M. BRAINBRD.

FILM DEVELOPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mum JULY 17. 1903.

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PATENTED JUNE 28, 1904.

. BRAINERD.

J. FILM DEVELOPINGIMAGHINE APPLICATION FILED JULY 17. 1903.

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Patented June 28, 1904.

UNITED STATE PATENT QFFicE.

JONATHAN MILLARD BRAINERD, OF ROME, NE\V YORK.

FILM-DEVELOPING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,357, dated June 28, 1904.

Application filed July 17, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN MILLARD BRAINERD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Rome, in the 'county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Film-Developing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. v

The present invention relates to improvements in machines for developing photographic films; and the primary'object of the invention is to produce an improved structure adapted for use in the daylight for the pur pose of developing the sensitized exposed surfaces of a film and for fixing the developed surfaces without resorting to a dark room, either portable or stationary, and without the possibility of the latent impressions becoming light struck during the process of treating the film.

A further object of the invention is to so construct and arrange the several parts that they require comparatively little space, and the apparatus as a whole is exceedingly compact, whereby the weight and dimensions are reduced and the apparatus can be easily carried and packed in a small space."

'A further object is to provide for the-ready introduction and removal of one or more solutions necessary for the treatment of the film without opening the machine or exposing the film to the actinic rays of light.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the subjoined description, and the novelty will be defined by the annexed claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a film-developing machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken centrally through the machine shown by Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical transversesections through the machine, the plane of the section being indicated by the dotted line 33 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow, and said figures representing different positions of certain members forming a revoluble winding device. Fig. 5 is a sec- Serial No. 165,953. (No model.)

tional end elevation of the machine, the plane of the section being indicated by the dotted line 5 5 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the removable hood of the apparatus, showing it adapted for use as a tray in developing a film.

The casing 5 of my improved film-developing machine is semicylindrical in form, said casing being provided at its lower portion with suitable feet 6, and at its upper portion with an offstanding ledge or flange 7, which lies below the top edge of said casing and is placed laterally with respect thereto for the purpose of producing a channel or recess 8, the latter being adapted to receive the lower edge of a removable hood 9. This hood is fashioned to fit snugly upon the upper open portion of the casing 5, so as to overlap the latter and to be received in the channel or recess 8, thereby producing a light-tight joint between the casing and the removable hood. 10 designates a horizontal shaft arranged longitudinally within thecasing and journaled in appropriate bearings 11, provided in the end walls of the casing, one end of said shaft being extended through its bearing 11 and provided with a crank or handle 12 for the convenient rotation of said shaft. This shaft carries a plurality of members forming a ro-. tary winding device on which the photographic film is adapted to be coded in a way member 13 is smaller than either of the other 1 members and it is fixed to the shaft 10 for rotation therewith. The next member 14: is

thereof.

end portions with offstanding lugs 22, while the member 14 is provided at one or both ends with lugs 23 and 24, said lugs 23 being disposed in the path of the lugs 22 of the member 13, so as to be engaged thereby when said member 13 makes nearly one rotation with the shaft 10, whereby the members 13 and 14 are connected operatively, so as to turn one with the other on the second rotation of the shaft. In like manner each member 15, 16, 17,- and 18 is provided with lugs 23 24, the lugs of one member being disposed in the path of lugs of the other member, so as to successively make the members rotate with the shaft and the other members lying close thereto during the operation of winding a film on the approximately cylindrical members of the winding device.

The shaft between the end portions of the small inner member 13 and the ends of the casing 5 is equipped with short sleeves 25, the same remaining in idle positions on the end portions of the shaft. Each member 14 to 18, inclusive, consists of a substantially cylindrical drum or shell and heads united to the end portions of said drum or shell,said heads and the drum being perforated, asindicated at 26. The heads of the members are fitted loosely on the sleeves 25 to rotate freely thereon, and said heads of the members are spaced laterally by interposed washers or disks, 27 between said heads, said washers fitting snugly on the sleeves 25, whereby the series of members are held or spaced in away to prevent them from engaging frictionally one with the other, and the independent operation of the series of members is thereby insured.

Any suitable means may be provided on the casing 5 of the machine for the purpose of holding a roll of film above the revoluble winding device, said means serving to sustain the film-roll below the hood 9, independently thereof. As shown by the drawings, however, I employ a stationary yoke or bail 28, having its legs attached firmly to the end portions of the casing 5 and arranged to straddle or overhang the sectional Winding device. This yoke is provided with hangers 29 30, each hanger being provided with a plate 31, fitting slidably in a suitable guideway 32, which is provided on the under side of the yoke 28. The hangers 29 30 are provided with inwardly extending pintles 33, disposed in coaxial relation and adapted to fit in the sockets provided in the end portions of the spool 34, on which the film A is coiled or wound. It is evident that either of the hangers may be moved laterally from the yoke 28 and allowing said spool to rotate freely when the film is drawn therefrom during the operation of winding it upon the members of the revoluble winding device.

I find it desirable to provide means which prevents the film from uncoiling too rapidly from the spool 34, and in one embodiment of the invention I employ a brake-shoe 35, ar-

ranged to straddle the cross -bar of the yoke 28 and attached to one end of a leaf-spring 36, the latter having its other end fastened securely to the yoke 28. The shoe is pressed by the spring 36 upon the roll of film between the hangers 29 30, and this shoe has suflicient frictional engagement with the film to retard the rotation of the spool and the consequent unwinding of the film.

37 designates a spout attached to one end portion of the casing 5 and inclined laterally therefrom, said spout having communication at its lower portion with the corresponding portion of thecasing by means of an opening 38. (See Figs. 2 and 5.) The spout serves as a convenient means for the introduction of a solution or bath into the casing after the cover or hood 9 shall have been placed thereon, and

it is evident that the casing may be turned over or inverted for the purpose of pouring off the bath through the spout. To prevent the actinic rays of light frornentering the casing, I employ baffles 39 40 within the spout, said baffles being located above the opening 38 and extending from opposite walls of the spout 37, so as to have the staggered relation, (shown more clearly in Fig. 5,) thereby producing a tortuous or irregular passage through the spout, which allows the free flow of liquid and intercepts the rays of light.

In the embodiment of the invention shown by the drawings the hood 9 is of peculiar construction for the purpose of utilizing it as a tray in developing the film within a dark room, which is sometimes desirable. The upper part of the hood 9 is contracted in diameter and rounded, as indicated at 41 in Figs. 3, 4, and 6 of the drawings. Said hood when removed from the casing is adapted to be inverted, as shown by Fig. 6, and in this position the contracted portion 41 of said hood forms a comparatively deep and narrow compartment, in which a roller 42 may be-conveniently placed for the purpose of allowing the film to be passed beneath the same and through a bath which is adapted to be placed in said compartment. Any suitable means may be employed in connection with the inverted hood for supporting the roller 42 therein; but as shown by the drawings I employ a post 43, having a depending hanger 44. It is evident that two of these posts 43 should be arranged at the end portions of the inverted hood for holding the latter stationarily in place, and the hangers 44 may be conveniently attached to these posts and extend into the chamber of the hood, whereby the roller 42 may be supported by said hangers 44 in a position close to the bottom'of the chamber in the contracted part 41 of the hood. I

In the. operation of developing a film in a dark room the hood should be inverted and placed in position on the posts, and a proper quantity of solution may then be poured into the hood, after which the film may be passed below the roller 42 and drawn through the bath in the well-known way of developing the latent impressions on the sensitized surfaces of the film. The hood when used as a developing-tray is advantageous, because its shape allows the use of a small quantity of solution.

One of the important features of my invention consists in the peculiar construction of the members of the winding device with a view to laying the spiral coils of the film uniformly on these members. To this end each member 13 to 18, inclusive, is provided with a drum or shell which is nearly cylindrical; but one edge portion of the drum or shell forming the members 14 to 18, inclusive, is offset or curved in eccentric relation to the axis of the shaft 10. The offset or eccentric portion of the drums forming the members 14 to 18, inclusive, is indicated at 45 in Figs. 3 and 4. The end portion of the film and the non-actinic paper jacket which envelops said film are adapted to be connected with the socketed member 13 of the winding device by any suitable form of coupling or fastener. In Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive, this coupling is indicated at 46, the same being provided with jaws 47 and with a suitable closing device adapted to form a clamp.

The operation of the machine may be described as follows: The hood 9 is removed, and the roll of film, with the spool, is connected with the hangers 29 30, the brake 35 engaging with the film. The end portion of the paper envelop is drawn partly from the spool, and the clamp 47 of the coupler 46 is attached to the layer of paper, after which the coupling 46 is slipped into the socket 20 of the small rotary member 13 of the winding device. The members of said winding device occupy the position shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings. The operator pours the developing solution into the casing and replaces the hood 9 to have light-tight engagement with the casing, after which the shaft 10 is rotated slowly, thus moving the member 13 in the direction of the arrow in Figs. 3 and 4. TV hen the member 13 nearly completes its first rotation, the take-up lugs 22 thereon engage with the catch-lugs 23 of the member 14, thereby making said member 14 rotate with the member 13. The two members 13 and 14 now rotate with the shaft until the second rotation is nearly completed, at which time the lugs 24 of the member 14 engage with the lugs 23 of the member 15, thus taking up the member 15 and causing it to rotate with the members 13 and 14. These operations are repeated to successively take up the members 16, 17, and 18, and during the rotation of the members the film and the paper are drawn from the spool 34 and wound in spiral layers upon the outer surfaces of the members of the revoluble winding device. By the time the member 18 is connected with the member 17 of the winding device the film and the paper jacket will have been drawn from the spool and the whole film wound on the members of said winding device, the layers or coils of the film being separated or spaced laterally by the arrangement of the several members 13 to 18, inclusive, and'the eccentric portions 45 of the members 14 to 18, inclusive, serving to practically close the spaces or slots in the open portions of said members 14 to 18, inclusive. The shaft and the winding device are to be turned the required length of time for the purpose of immersing the film in the bath, the latter flowing freely through the perforations in the drums and heads of the several members. After the film shall have been subjected to the action of the developing solution for a proper length of time the solution may be poured off by tipping or inverting the ma chine, after which a washing-bath maybe introduced into the machine by pouring it through the spout, or the bath can be poured off and the fixing solution subsequently introduced into the machine, the winding device being rotated to uniformly expose all portions of the film to the action of the bath and said fixing solution. The machine can now be opened by removing the hood 9, and the developed and fixed film can subsequently be drawn off the winding device by merely pulling on the outer end of the film, the several members 18 to 13, inclusive, of the winding device turning freely and in reversed order to permit the expeditious removal of the film.

The detailed construction of the members forming the winding device may be modified within widelimitsas, forexample, the heads of the drum-shaped members may be skeletonized to provide for the free circulation of the solution through said winding device. Under some circumstances I may employ means arranged to separate the film-enveloping jacket from the film during the operation of coiling the latter upon the winding device, the jacket being discharged from the machine through an opening arranged in a way to prevent the admission of light to the chamber containing the winding device and the film.

Special importance is attached to the winding device having a plurality of members adapted to be coupled in successive order by rotation on a common axis and constructed to produce a practically continuous film-supporting surface of spiral form, whereon the layers or coils of the film may be regularly coiled or laid during the period of rotating said winding device and successively coupling the members thereof. By reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings it is to be observed that the openings or slots 21 in the members are in alinement radially with respect to the axis of the winding device, thus allowing the coupler and the end of the film to be passed through the slotted members and for the film to be coiled on the innermost member 13 at the beginning of the operation. As the member 13 nears the end of the first turn it is overlapped by the eccentric portion 45 of the member 14:, as in Fig. 4:, the latter member being coupled by the lugs to the member 13 and the film being wound on said member 14: during the second turn of the members 13 14. These operations are repeated on the successive turns of the winding device to enlarge the spiral area of said winding device and to afford a substantially continuous and spiral surface for evenly and wholly supporting the film without break or interruption in the surface, whereby the film may be developed evenly and treated to the best advantage.

Having thus described my invention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In afilm-developing machine, a revoluble winding device consisting of a plurality of members, and means whereby said members may be connected successively for rotation one with the other.

2. In a film-developing machine, a revoluble i winding deviceconsisting of a series of concentric members mounted for rotation on a common axis, and means for connecting the members operatively one with the other in successive order.

3. In a film-developing machine, a revoluble winding device consisting of a series of members disposed one within the other in substantially concentric order, each member having an interrupted portion and an offset portion disposed eccentric to the axis of rotation, and means for operatively connecting the members one with the other in successive order on the rotation of one member.

4:. In afilm-developing machine, arevoluble winding device consisting of a series of sections mounted for rotation on a common axis and having ofiset portions disposed in eccentric relation to the axis of rotation, means for operatively connecting the members in successive order by the rotation of one of the members, means for rotating the innermost member, and means for connecting the film to said innermost member.

5. In a film-developing machine, a revoluble winding device consisting of a series of members having means for operatively connecting them in successive order and for insuring the rotation of all the members as a unit, means for supporting a roll of film adjacent to said winding device, and means for coupling one end of said film to the innermost member of the winding device.

6. In afilm-developing machine, a revoluble winding device consisting of a series of sections having means for successively coupling them one with the other, one of said members having a socket, in combination with means for holding a roll of film adjacent to said winding device, and a coupling for attaching one end of the film to one of said members.

7. In a film-developing machine, a revoluble winding device consisting of a plurality of members, each of said members having takeup lugs and certain of the members having catch-lugs disposed in the path of the take-up lugs.

8. In afilm-developing machine, arevoluble winding device consisting of a series of concentric members having offset eccentric portions, the innermost member of the series being provided with a socket, in combination with means for supporting a roll of film, and a coupling adapted for engagement with the film and fitted detachably in the socket of the winding device.

' 9. Inafilm-developing machine, a revoluble winding device consisting of a plurality of perforated concentric members mounted for rotation on a common axis and provided with means for successively connecting said members one with the other on the rotation of the innermost member, and means for connecting a film to one member of said winding device.

10. A film-developing machine havinga casing provided with a removable trough-shaped cover, a winding device mounted for rotation in said casing and having means for the attachment of a film thereto, and a spool-support disposed in the trough-shaped casing and above the winding device.

11. A film-developing machine havinga casing, awinding device therein, a pouring and filling spout communicating with the casing, and staggered partitions located in said spout and forming a tortuous light-excluding and liquid passage.

12. A film-developingmachine having a casing, a film-winding device therein, means for supporting a roll-film within the casing and above the winding device, a pouring and filling spout communicating with said casing, and staggered partitions located in said spout and producing a tortuous light-excluding and liquid passage therein.

13. A film-developing machine comprising a casing, a winding device mounted therein, a spout attached to said casing and having communication therewith through a port or opening at the lower end of said spout, and staggered partitions disposed within the spout above the opening and providing a tortuous passage which allows the flow of liquid and excludes light-rays from the casing.

14:. In a film-developing machine, a hood having a contracted portion and adapted when inverted to serve as a developing-tray, and a film-guide supported in the contracted portion of said tray.

15. In a film-developing machine, a casing provided with a removable hood, the said hood having a contracted upper portion and adapted to be inverted for forming a developingtray, a roller disposed within the contracted portion of the hood, and means for removably supporting said roller within said hood.

16. In afilm-developing machine, a winding device having a plurality of individuallymounted members revoluble on acommon axis, and provided with means for coupling them to produce a substantially continuous spiral winding-surface.

17. In a film-developing machine, a filmwinding device consisting of a plurality of radially-slotted members having eccentric portions disposed to overlap one another on the successive coupling of the members and produce a substantially continuous spiral windingsurface.

18. In a film-developing machine, a filmwinding device consisting of a plurality of revoluble members, and means for successively coupling said members, certain of said members having portions disposed to lap adjacent members and produce a substantially continuous spiral winding-surface.

19. In a film-developing machine, a spiralwinding device consisting of a plurality of individually revoluble members having eccentric portions disposed for overlapping engagement and to produce a substantially continuous film-supporting surface.

20. In a film-developing machine, a spiral film-winding device having a plurality of members revoluble on a common axis, means for successively coupling the members in series, and means for separating the members and insuring the individual members remaining at rest until coupled.

21. In a film-developing machine, a spiral film-winding device having a plurality of members revoluble on a common axis, means for successively coupling the members, and interposed spacing devices between said members.

22. In a film-developing machine, a spiral film-winding device having a shaft, sleeves thereon, a series of members having means for coupling them in series, and spacing devices for holding the members separated on the sleeves.

23. In a film-developing machine, a spiral film-winding device having a shaft, a revoluble member thereon, sleeves on said shaft, other revoluble members on the sleeves, means for coupling the members in series, and washers between said members.

24. A film-developing machine having a film-winding device consisting of an internal member having means for attachment of a film, a plurality of segmental slotted members, means for rotating the central member, and means for successively coupling the other members and for releasing them in like order.

25. A film-developing machine having a film-winding device consisting of an internal member, means for rotating the same, and a plurality of radially-slotted segmental members disposed to partially envelop one another and produce a substantially continuous spiral winding-surface.

26. A film-developing machine having a film-winding device consisting of an internal member having means for rotating the same, a plurality of perforated and slotted members disposed to successively envelop the internal member and produce a spiral winding-surface,

and means for coupling the members on the rotation of the winding device.

27. A film-developing machine having a film-winding device consisting of a revoluble internal member having means for attachment of a film thereto, a plurality of nested members having slots and eccentric portions disposed to produce a spiral surface on the rotation of the device, and means for insuring the successive rotation of the members until they all rotate with the internal member.

28. A film-developing machine having a film-winding device consisting of a plurality of nested segmental members revoluble on a common axis and presenting a continuous winding-surface, means for successively coupling the members on the rotation of said device, and means for attaching a film to one of said members.

29. A film-developing machine comprising a light-tight casing having means for admitting a liquid and drawing off the same, a filmwinding device having a plurality of nested independently-mounted members revoluble on a common axis and provided with means for successively coupling them in series,means for supporting a film within the casing, and means for coupling a film to one member of the winding device.

30. A film-developing machine comprising a two-part casing, one part of which is removable, a frame fixed to one part of said casing and extending into the removable part thereof, a winding device revoluble in one part of the casing, and means for suspending a rolled film from said frame and over the winding device.

31. A film-developing machine comprising a two-part casing, one part of which is removable, a frame fixed to one part of the casing and extending into the removable part thereof, a winding device revoluble in one part of the casing, means for suspending a rolled film from said frame and over the winding device, and a brake supported by the frame for preventing the unwinding of a film held by said suspension devices.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

.IONATIIAN MIhInllll) llItAlNl'llll).

Vitnesses:

Gr. LINN PREscoTT, J OI'IN C. EVANS.

IOC 

